208 Congressmen Called on President Bush to reaffirm U.S. Record on Armenian Genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - Two hundred and eight U.S. legislators on April 20 called on President Bush to reaffirm the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). In separate letters, 178 Representatives and 30 Senators specifically asked the President to properly characterize the atrocities as "genocide," in his annual April 24th remarks. In February of 2000, during Michigan's hotly contested Republican primary, then Governor Bush promised to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide if elected president. Since taking office in 2001, the President has retreated from this pledge, issuing a succession of April 24th statements that use evasive and euphemistic terminology to diminish the full historical, moral, and contemporary legal implications of Ottoman Turkey's genocide against the Armenian nation.



The House letter, organized by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co- Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), stressed that, "the United States must never allow crimes against humanity to pass without remembrance and condemnation. As U.S. efforts to aid victims of genocide continue, it is imperative that we pay tribute to the memory of others who have suffered and never forget the past. By commemorating the Armenian Genocide, we renew our commitment to prevent future atrocities and therefore negate the dictum that history is condemned to repeat itself."



The Senate letter, led by Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Richard Durbin (D-IL), noted that, "The memory of the Armenian Genocide underscores our responsibility to speak forcefully about our respect for fundamental human rights and opposition to mass slaughters. It is in the best interests of our nation and the entire global community to remember the past and learn from these crimes against humanity to ensure that they are never repeated. We respectfully request that you refer to the mass slaughter of Armenians as genocide in your commemorative statement."